Few world leaders in recent history provoked as much debate on global security as United States President Donald Trump.
His foreign policy is neither traditionally interventionist nor fully isolationist. Instead, it blends muscular deterrence, transactional diplomacy, and a strong preference for national interest over multilateral cooperation.
We are therefore not surprised that some critics have faulted his leadership style and manner of approach which should offer important lessons for countries like Nigeria grappling with lingering existential security challenges.
It is worthy of note that Trump’s strategy rests solidly on three pillars: military strength, unpredictability, and negotiation from a position of advantage.
For instance by increasing defence spending, modernizing military capabilities, and openly affirming readiness to use force, his administration brazenly projects deterrence and instills fear in adversaries.
From the fight against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS to confrontations with Iran and North Korea, the message is clear: dialogue would only be meaningful if backed by overwhelming military force.
However, for Nigeria, one of the major lessons is not about adopting America’s military might strategy but about restoring confidence in state authority over non-state actors.
A nation where terrorists, bandits and separatist militias openly challenge government control, deterrence matters greatly and security agencies must be well-equipped, motivated, and coordinated to contain such criminality. On the other hand, a state that appears hesitant or divided emboldens criminal elements.
Again, another notable feature of Trump’s strategy is transactional diplomacy. Before now, the success of military or economic alliances were judged by tangible benefits, not just shared history or values. This pragmatic approach forces partners to take greater responsibility for their internal security and safeguarding their territorial integrity.
Therefore, Nigeria should learn an important lesson from this by redefining its security partnerships. In our view, international cooperation should not be symbolic; it must deliver intelligence sharing, training, technology transfer and measurable results in combating terrorism and transnational crime.
Also, experience has shown that Trump prioritizes America’s border control and internal security as foundations of national peace and stability. Though controversial, his insistence on protecting America’s international borders underscores one basic truth: no nation can guarantee safety without controlling its territory.
It is for the above reason that Nigeria’s porous borders should be seen by the federal government as a major gateway for the smuggling of illegal arms, uncontrolled entry of terrorists and illicit trade. To reverse this ugly trend, the government should as a matter of national urgency, strengthen border surveillance, modernize customs and immigration services, and deepening cooperation with neighboring countries.
Trump’s approach further reveals several pitfalls which Nigeria must strive to avoid. These include his frequent disregard for diplomacy, multilateral institutions and human rights norms which sometimes isolate the United States and weakened her moral authority.
Truly, Nigeria, given its complex ethnic, religious and regional diversity, cannont afford a purely force-driven security policy. Consequently, military action must be balanced with dialogue, development and justice. Insecurity in Nigeria is not only a security failure but also a result of governance failure firmly rooted in poverty, exclusion and weak institutions.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson is leadership clarity. Trump’s supporters have often argued that, whether one agrees with him or not, his viewpoints on any issue are rarely ambiguous. This is unlike Nigeria whose security architecture suffers from policy inconsistency, bureaucratic rivalry and unclear command structures. A unified national security vision, consistently implemented, is more important than any imported strategy.
Besides, Trump’s intervention strategies so far, remind Nigeria that security is about confidence, capacity and coherence. A nation must protect itself decisively, negotiate intelligently, and govern inclusively. Strength without justice breeds resentment while justice without strength lead to chaos.
Nigeria does not need a Trump-style leader but needs a leadership style that combines integrity, firmness with fairness, power with principle, and strategy with sincerity of purpose for the country to move away from managing insecurity to overcoming it.
We note with satisfaction the timely intervention of the United States Armed Forces, which launched a surprise attack on ISIS hideouts in Sokoto state, northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Eve, which reportedly killed many terrorists who were plotting to make the yuletide miserable for Nigerians. It is however a matter of joy that no major deadly attack by terrorists was reported during the Christmas and New Year celebrations nationwide.
Sadly, since the birth of Boko Haram and insurgency in 2009, terrorists have murdered Nigerians including women, children and military personnel in their hundreds while many others remain in camps established for internally displaced persons, IDPs especially in North East and North Central geo-political zones.
To stop this needless massacre, we demand the strengthening of the current cordial relationship between the US and Nigerian Armed Forces, especially in the areas of capacity building, intelligence sharing, joint planning, kinetic and non-kinetic efforts, as well as humanitarian assistance and troop welfare. The Trump administration should leave no stone unturned to deepen military collaboration with Nigeria in order to fish out bandits and terrorists daily tormenting citizens to allow law abiding people living in the country to breathe. There is no doubting the fact that international military partnerships have become very imperative in complementing Nigeria’s internal security architecture and advancing sustainable peace and stability in the world’s most populous black nation.
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